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Breaking News:The Big Interview!!! DA Jawo Speaks...Jammeh aids cure provokes wild controversy!
.JPG) "What is even more disturbing in the whole saga is the negative role being openly played by the health professionals, particularly Dr. Mbowe as the health minister, as they are supposed to be guided by their professional ethics rather than allow themselves to be cajoled by political considerations. We would have understood the position taken by Dr. Mbowe if he had been just any other politician, but as a health professional himself, everyone expected him to have been bold enough to tell President Jammeh the truth that he was venturing into an area he has no business in. At least he and the other health professionals at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital as well as those at the National AIDS Secretariat should have mustered the courage to tell President Jammeh the truth and be ready to face the consequences."said a leading Gambian journalist, cum political commentator Demba Ali Jawo in an exlusive interview with the Freedom Newspaper. Mr.Jawo who is the former President of the Gambia Press Union commented on a wide raneg of issues in this master piece interview.The murder of jorunalist Deyda Hydara, the opposition's failure to come together, the state of press freedom in the Gambia among host of other topical issues. Below is full text of the interview Freedom's Managing Editor Pa Nderry M'Bai had with Mr.Jawo. Please read on.
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Freedom Newspaper: Recently, President Yahya Jammeh provoked a heated controversy within and outside the country, with his surprising news that he had a cure for HIV/AIDS. Mr. Jammeh did not stop at that. He also announces that he had been given "the mandate to cure AIDS and Asthma. What do you make of Jammeh's statement?
DA Jawo: It indeed came not only as a surprises to me and I am sure most other Gambians, but also as a big embarrassment to hear President Jammeh claim to have the “mandate” to cure HIV/AIDS and Asthma through the use of herbal concoctions and incantations from the Holy Quran. It indeed sounds like he got the “mandate” from a spiritual deity, which smacks of superstition.
While no doubt The Gambia and indeed all Gambians would be very proud if it is indeed proven that our head of state has got the magical formula to cure this dreaded global epidemic which has eluded even the greatest of all scientists, but his actions seem to be risking an embarrassment of global proportions for himself and this country.
As a layman, I understand that HIV/AIDS is not an ordinary disease which kills people, but rather, it destroys the immune system of those infected and therefore makes it easy for any other opportunistic disease to overwhelm them. Therefore, it is possible that President Jammeh’s herbal concoctions have the potency to treat some of those opportunistic illnesses, but that certainly does not mean that it would also cure AIDS.
HIV/AIDS has become the most important disease in the world today because of the fact that it has been causing the deaths of so many people and there is as yet no cure for it. Therefore, for President Jammeh to claim to have the spiritual means to cure it, means that the eyes of the whole world would be focused on The Gambia. And if it turns out to be just another hoax, then it is certainly going to be very embarrassing to him, to this country and indeed all Gambians and friends of The Gambia.
Freedom Newspaper: Well, the Secretary of State For Health Dr. Tamsir Mbowe said the nine HIV patients “cured” by President Jammeh had so far recovered, but fail to disclose the outcome of the lab test which were intended to ascertain the veracity of Jammeh's claims. Do you buy the Minister's story? Do you think he is playing to the gallery in a bid to keep his job?
DA Jawo: It was indeed quite appropriate for the BBC, during an interview with Dr. Mbowe, to describe it as irresponsible to give false hopes to AIDS sufferers before even authenticating the ability of the concoctions cure it.
What is even more disturbing in the whole saga is the negative role being openly played by the health professionals, particularly Dr. Mbowe as the health minister, as they are supposed to be guided by their professional ethics rather than allow themselves to be cajoled by political considerations. We would have understood the position taken by Dr. Mbowe if he had been just any other politician, but as a health professional himself, everyone expected him to have been bold enough to tell President Jammeh the truth that he was venturing into an area he has no business in. At least he and the other health professionals at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital as well as those at the National AIDS Secretariat should have mustered the courage to tell President Jammeh the truth and be ready to face the consequences.
Freedom Newspaper: You have been an arch critic of President Jammeh over the years. Were you surprised by Jammeh's latest claims to have an AIDS cure? What type of person is President Jammeh from your own personal perception?
DA Jawo: A critic, yes, but I would not call myself “an arch critic of President Jammeh”. I was quite critical of the previous regime as well. It is the system and the actions of the regime that I always criticise and not the individuals in power. If anyone else were to come to power after President Jammeh, I will still continue my criticisms of the things they do or fail to do. Therefore, my criticism is not aimed specifically at President Jammeh or his regime, but what they do or fail to do.
Regarding his claims to have the “mandate” to cure HIV/AIDS, as a Gambian, I am indeed worried about its negative consequences for this country. While he is quite well known for his penchant to stir controversies, but as a head of state, he certainly needs to be very careful about some of the things he says or does because they can always come back to negatively haunt him and the whole country.
Freedom Newspaper: What are the dangers or ramifications if you like for making such "wishful" idle claims for AIDS cure as others would call it, emanating from a President? Do you see any implications here on Jammeh's announcement that he had cure for HIV/AIDS?
DA Jawo: While we are all no doubt hoping and praying for a breakthrough in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, particularly when the cure emanates from The Gambia, but I am quite sceptical of these claims by President Jammeh. Therefore, I would tend to agree with the observations made by the head of the HIV research team at the University of KwaZulu Natal and a member of South Africa's Treatment Action Campaign, Mr Jerry Coovadia, who was quoted by the BBC saying that it was tragic that The Gambia had a "political environment that allows a minister of health and a president to violate every foundation of science and public health."
Therefore, one would have expected that even if his concoctions are capable of curing AIDS, which I very much doubt, it would have been more sensible if he had first done some lab experiments for a while to prove its effectiveness before making such a public announcement or even commence using people as guinea-pigs. It was therefore quite appropriate for the BBC, during an interview with Dr. Mbowe, to describe it as irresponsible to give false hopes to AID sufferers before even authenticating the claims.
Freedom Newspaper: Well, others argued that the Gambian leader is trying to attract the world's attention by making such a wild statement? Do you really believe Jammeh's claims that he had cure for AIDS?
DA Jawo: I am certainly not in a position to disprove his claims, but as a Gambian, I am concerned about its long-term repercussions, particularly when it turns out to be another hoax.
There is however no doubt that many Gambian health professionals are deadly against this intrusion on the health system by a non-medical professional, but knowing the political system operating in this country, it is hard to see how anyone of them would muster the courage to even speak against it, as it could mean an immediate sacking from his/her job.
Freedom Newspaper: The World Health Organization, the United Nation's Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Bank and other NGOS spend millions of dollars every year to tackle the global menace HIV/AIDS. With Jammeh announcing that he has got a cure for this deadly disease, don't you think he is undermining the country's chances of benefiting from such AIDS funds? That donors might end up pulling out since the Jammeh leadership is at this hour promoting statements that might undermine the fight against aids. Your stake on this?
DA Jawo: It is indeed a shame that the international community, particularly the World Health Organisation, which is supposed to be the global guardian on health matters should so far fail to comment on the issue. It is extremely necessary for the WHO and the international community to come to the rescue of the Gambian AIDS patients, who may be given false hopes and made to believe that they had been cured of the infection while they are not. Such false hopes would not only expose them to even more danger, but it also has the potential to make the general public lose confidence in the Gambian health system.
Freedom Newspaper: Many AIDS activists warned that the Gambia is posed to face full AIDS crisis, in view of the President's assurances to the nation that there is cure for the disease. That many youths living in denial, might use the President's announcement to engage in risky behaviours. Any word on this?
DA Jawo: Indeed, it is quite risky to just from the blue make such claims to have a cure for AIDS without any laboratory tests to ascertain the effectiveness of his concoctions. It is the normal thing to subject all curative medicines to laboratory tests first before using them on people.
Freedom Newspaper: The government-controlled media has been running stories on Jammeh's new "found cure for AIDS." What's the role of the press in such a situation? Both the GRTS and the Daily Observer have been running stories on Jammeh's AIDS cure without getting an opinion from the scientific world-I mean medical scientists. What do you make out of this?
DA Jawo: It is yet another manifestation of the negative role being played by the public media in this country. While in all civilized countries, the media is supposed to be the mouth-piece of the voiceless masses, but in The Gambia, the public media in particular are playing an opposite role. They instead seem to be the mouth-piece of the ruling clique instead of speaking for the people.
It is indeed quite irresponsible for the media to be seen to press sing everything done by President Jammeh while completely ignoring the genuine concerns of the ordinary people, as if they do not matter.
Freedom Newspaper: What is your honest opinion on the state of the country's public media? Are they living up to the public's expectations?
DA Jawo: Obviously, the role of the public media in The Gambia is a disappointment. While it has been a trend all over Africa for the public broadcast media to be transformed into public service broadcasters, in The Gambia, it seems to be going the opposite direction.
It is a shame that some of our colleagues in the public media have allowed themselves to be used as propaganda tools and transformed into mouth-pieces of the politicians rather than being guided by the ethics of their profession.
While of course there are very good journalists amongst them, but the mere fact that they have allowed themselves to be used as mere propaganda tools rather than treat the news like professionals, puts them on the opposite side from the Gambian public. As professionals, they are expected to try as much a feasible to perform their work within the ethics of the profession, but instead, they seem to have completely surrendered to the politicians, apparently because they want to keep their jobs. That is indeed a shame.
Freedom Newspaper: Since the killing of journalist Deyda Hydara, many local journalists have been extra careful about what they report. Has self-censorship become a big issue in Gambian private journalism today? If yes, what are the factors behind such a move?
DA Jawo: You are quite right, since the murder of Deyda, and the open hostilities against the independent media, Gambian journalists have become quite careful with what they write or say. As a result, self-censorship has now become the norm.
Indeed, it has even led to an almost virtual condescending of certain sections of the private media. A good case in point is the decision of the private radio stations to completely steer away from political issues, and instead concentrate on other less controversial issues such as sports and commercials, thus leaving the Gambian public starved of accurate and balanced information.
Of course, it is not hard to understand such a stance, but as professionals, we are expected to do our work regardless of the consequences. As I often say, we are either journalist, ready to do our work, or pack up and go to do something else. It is quite unfair to our people if we choose to speak on their behalf and yet decide to allow others to dictate what we should say.
Freedom Newspaper: One of the country's leading private media outlets; The Independent, has been shut down by the government for unexplained reasons. The same paper had suffered numerous fire bombs, arrests and detention of its staff. What is the main journalist body GPU doing to ensure the re-opening of The Independent? Do you have any idea about the GPU'S plans on The Independent case?
DA Jawo: The GPU is indeed doing its utmost with regards to the illegal closure of The Independent, and other media houses, such as Citizen FM and Sud FM, both of which were also arbitrarily closed down by the government without a court order or any justifiable reason. However, the GPU is constrained by numerous factors; including its poor financial status as well as the intransigence of the regime.
While the GPU or the proprietors of these media houses have the option to go to court over the matter, but it is also quite a fact that the socio-political situation in the country is in such a precarious state that even those oversight institutions like the judiciary are, to a large extent, rendered lame ducks. The system has been so manipulated that it is expensive as well as time-consuming to obtain justice in the country.
Indeed, we have seen how the regime had been frequently ignoring court judgements and other judicial orders with impunity. Therefore, there is no guarantee that even if the matter is taken to court, the regime would ever respect any decision which goes against its actions.
Freedom Newspaper: In your own view, why do you think the government cannot stand The Independent?
DA Jawo: The regime’s problems with The Independent may have got something to do with the paper’s critical stance on many issues. Of course, this regime has always had the objective of using the carrot and stick approach with the independent media. They used the carrot in the case of the Daily Observer for instance and succeeded in getting that paper under its complete control.
However, in the case of The Independent, they have failed to make any in-road in trying to influence its editorial stance and therefore, their other option was to suppress it, after other methods such as the arson attacks and the constant intimidation and harassment of its journalists failed to do the work.
Freedom Newspaper: Prior to the killing of Deyda Hydara, you received a death threat letter from the "Green Boys" a group claiming to be supporters of President Jammeh's government. The Green Boys complained about your criticism of the President and his government and even went as far threatening to kill you if you fail to stop what you were doing? Deyda was on record for cautioning the Green Boys to refrain from such an undemocratic act. What can you tell us about the Green Boys?
DA Jawo: I can hardly tell you anything about the “Green Boys” because they are a shadowy group who seem to be hiding behind officialdom to perpetrate their nefarious activities, knowing fully well that there will never be any serious investigations of whatever crime they commit.
Freedom Newspaper: What type of journalist was Deyda Hydara? Does his killing come as a surprise to you?
DA Jawo: Deyda was a professional of the highest calibre, who was ready to go to any length to do what was expected of him, regardless of the consequences. He was very much committed to what he was doing; that is to speak for the voiceless masses.
Of course, I was quite surprised that anyone would want to kill him for whatever reason. That is certainly the most un-Gambian thing to ever happen in this country. While we can have over differences over many issues, but it is hard to imagine anyone taking a gun to kill someone else just because he or she holds a different opinion on any issue. That is certainly the height of callousness.
Freedom Newspaper: Now, let’s shift gears on the political front. As a seasoned political commentator and critic for that matter, what would you attribute the opposition disintegration to?
DA Jawo: There appears to be a general consensus that the problems of the opposition are mainly self-imposed, even though the political playing field in this country is far from ideal. The very fact that President Jammeh has assumed the power to hire and fire members of the Independent Electoral Commission and the police can still arrest opposition candidates duly nominated to contest elections, sometimes for very flimsy reasons, is an indication that the opposition have a formidable task to make an impact in the country.
It is indeed hard for anyone to imagine that it is only the opposition candidates and their supporters who cause problems and the APRC candidates and their supporters, despite all the power and influence behind them, are angels who are always law abiding. The reality on the ground is of course a different matter altogether and a good manifestation of the type of democracy operating in this country.
While the problems of the opposition started since the assumption of power by this regime, especially when President Jammeh seems to regard everyone who opposes his policies as “unpatriotic” and an enemy of the state, but the opposition’s down-ward slide actually began in 2006 when the National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD) collapsed, as a result of the decision by Ousainou Darboe and Hamat Bah to pull out their parties from the alliance, thus effectively dashing any hopes of a united opposition to fight the APRC hegemony.
It is indeed still hard to comprehend the justification given by these two former political heavyweights to unceremoniously quit the alliance. While it is possible that they had genuine grievances for taking the move that they took, but there is a general consensus that it was quite an unwise move to split the alliance at that crucial period when the presidential elections were just around the corner.
Freedom Newspaper: Many Gambians say they have lost faith in the current opposition, as confidence and trust matters in politics. What's the way forward to the current political predicament the opposition had found itself?
DA Jawo: Despite the fact that even after they were humiliated during the presidential elections, the two opposition factions did not seem to have learnt any lessons and they instead again rebuffed any calls for a tactical alliance in the National Assembly elections. Instead, they even went on to duplicate efforts by putting up candidates against each. In the end, the results were not only worse for both factions, but in the case of the National Reconciliation Party (NRP), it seems to have been completely annihilated. It is quite hard to see how it can resuscitate itself after its failure to capture even a single seat, after spending no less than D40, 000 in the payment of deposits alone.
Indeed, there are already calls for the present opposition leadership to call it quits and give way to a new breed of leadership. It is quite obvious that the leadership has lost all credibility in the eyes of the Gambian public and no matter what other strategy they may employ, it is hard to see how they can regain the people’s confidence. Therefore, the only answer is for them to step down and hand over the mantle to a more determined crop of leadership.
Freedom Newspaper: Recently, Lamin Waa Juwara, also an arch critic of President Jammeh said it is wrong for Gambians to call Jammeh a dictator. Waa said in his own words" Jammeh subjected himself through the will of the people by winning free and fair elections." Waa even went as far as saying that from now on he would not be calling Jammeh a dictator since Gambians voted for Jammeh. Do you buy Juwara's assertions? Is Jammeh a dictator?
DA Jawo: While I may not entirely agree with Waa’s opinion on the matter, but I would defend his right to take any political stance on it or on any other issue. That is the beauty of democracy. I have no doubt that if President Jammeh himself had allowed his opponents their constitutional freedom to mount opposition to his regime without all sorts of obstacles being placed on their path, and describing them as “unpatriotic Gambians” for just opposing his regime, this country would have been a model in the sub-region.
Gambians are a peace-loving people, and if only President Jammeh had accepted everyone’s inalienable right to hold a different opinion from his, then he would have stood a better chance of being seen as a democrat rather than a dictator. But with the present political dispensation in the country, and the open suppression of the legal opposition and the media, it is hard to call him anything else other than a dictator.
Freedom Newspaper: Putting journalism aside, who is your favourite Gambian politician? Do you support any political party? Don't tell me that you are not a political animal.
DA Jawo: Of course, no one can genuinely say that he or she is not political, because politics exists in every aspect of life. However, as a journalist, I try not to manifest my political opinion because it may have the tendency to interfere with the objectivity of what I write. Therefore, the only way I can be seen to be objective in my analysis is to avoid being seen to lean on any partisan platform.
Freedom Newspaper: Most of your readers in The Gambia have missed your powerful weekly writings. In your view, why was your weekly critic column popular?
DA Jawo: Indeed, I am also not quite happy that I have not been able to continue with my weekly column (Independent Critique), mainly because of the closure of The Independent. While I could have continued to write in other papers, but as you said earlier, there is self-censorship going on in the country, and as such, not many newspapers would risk publishing articles critical of the regime.
As to why my columns were popular, may be it is the readers who can say why they liked what I had been writing. All that I know is that I have been trying to be as objective as possible, devoid of any political bias in my articles. That I thought was the best way to maintain the credibility of what I wrote.
Freedom Newspaper: If you have the chance of meeting President Jammeh today, what would you tell him? What are your major concerns?
DA Jawo: When I told some of my colleagues in other African countries that in my seven years as president of the GPU, I had never formally met President Jammeh, they did not believe me. They could not understand that as head of the country’s journalist union, I have never had the chance to meet with the head of state. This is because it is the norm in their countries for the head of state to regularly meet with journalists.
However, in The Gambia, it is not the case. President Jammeh and his regime would only meet journalists of the public media and those of the Daily Observer; quite assured that no one would ask biting questions. That is another indictment of the system operating in the country. Therefore, as long as I was not prepared to sing the praises of the regime, President Jammeh did not see me as a person worth dealing with.
If I were to meet him today, I would relate to him as the head of state of The Gambia, who deserves all the respect that a head of state deserves. I am not however sure that he would encourage me to give him any advice as he has already told us that he seeks or accepts no advice from anyone, let alone a critic like me.
Freedom Newspaper: How does the Senegalese media compare with the Gambian media?
DA Jawo: Of course, the Senegalese media is more professional in the sense that they have been much longer in the business as well as the fact that they have the facilities to train journalists. The Senegalese media also has the financial clout to take on the government at every level.
Another advantage on their side is the fact that they are operating within a democratic dispensation, which unfortunately the Gambian media is not. There is no doubt that if we were also operating within such a climate, we would have had an even greater impact on the society.
Freedom Newspaper: Any final word?
DA Jawo: I would like to use this opportunity to commend Gambian journalists, particularly those who still remain at home to continue the struggle, for their resilience in the face of such an unlevelled playing field. We should however be heartened by the fact that regimes come and go, but the media is always here to stay. Therefore, no matter how long it may take, we will one day regain the terrain to practise our profession without hindrance.
I am also convinced that one fine day, the murderers of Deyda Hydara would be exposed and punished.
Freedom Newspaper: Thanks Mr. Demba Jawo for sparing your busy schedule to talk us.
DA Jawo: I thank you too, and I wish you success in your noble endeavours to inform and educate Gambians, both at home and abroad.
The editor can be reached at the following addresses:editor@freedomnewspaper.com or panderrymbai@gmail.com If you know that it's happening or is about to happen please contact us. It's easy. Just type your info on our contact us file and then click send. The Freedom Newspaper is your leading and most authoritative source of news. We have the required professionals to serve you round the clock. Get your morning breakfast news by reading Freedom. We have good stuffs every morning. At Freedom, we mean business. |
Posted on Tuesday, February 06, 2007 (Archive on Wednesday, February 28, 2007)
Posted by PNMBAI Contributed by PNMBAI
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